Crew view

A span of three games in eight days yielded three points and further questions about this team.
The Crew allowed a late goal in a 3-2 loss at Kansas City on June 29, saw host Los Angeles awarded
two penalty kicks that directly resulted in a 2-1 loss five days later and held on to knock off
Portland at home on Sunday. The win kept the Crew in the playoff hunt, but a week away from league
action could widen the gap.

Debuts

Fatigue to several players forced coach Robert Warzycha to choose four new starters against the
Timbers, and that lineup responded with a 1-0 win. Rookie Wil Trapp and third-year player Konrad
Warzycha each made their first career start, while Aaron Schoenfeld and Matt Lampson each started
for the first time this season. Trapp was voted man of the match by the fans and made a strong case
for continued playing time. Lampson made one save in recording his first shutout, while Warzycha
and Schoenfeld were both subbed off in the second half. “In the last 18 games you’ve seen different
guys on the field getting chances to play,” Robert Warzycha said. “I think the new faces were
needed. It paid off.”

Formations

The different lineup allowed the Crew to change formations for the first time this season. After
using essentially a 4-4-1-1 formation with either Dominic Oduro or Jairo Arrieta as the lone
forward, the Crew used a 4-3-3 with Schoenfeld, Oduro and Federico Higuain up top and Bernardo
Anor, Konrad Warzycha and Trapp in the midfield. At times, all six players seemed to be level with
each other as the Crew tried to spread the field and tire a Portland team playing a man down.

Anor’s form

Anor had the most impactful week of his MLS career. A starter in the past five games, Anor’s
header off a Higuain free kick looked to be the winner against the Galaxy before two questionable
penalty calls sunk the Crew’s upset hopes. Against Portland, Anor headed home a Higuain corner kick
in the fifth minute. After scoring two goals in 24 appearances in his first two seasons with the
Crew, Anor has scored in consecutive games and is making a case to stay in the lineup when Arrieta
returns from Costa Rican national team duty later this month.

Controversy

The Galaxy defeated the Crew thanks to a pair of penalties called on the visitors inside the
penalty area. Goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum was judged to have fouled Jose Villarreal in the 85th
minute, while Anor was called for fouling Robbie Keane in the 92nd. Both led to successful Keane
penalty kicks. The head official, Sorin Stoica, was scheduled to be the fourth official for the
Crew’s game against the Timbers three days later but was replaced by the league. “L.A., that game
was taken away from us,” Oduro said after the Portland win.

Digital

6 — Crew starters against Portland who hail from Ohio

4 — Consecutive games in which Higuain has had an assist or goal

2 — Penalty kicks missed by Higuain this season in six attempts

1997 — The last time a Crew player missed two penalty kicks in one season (Pete
Marino)